Thursday, May 24, 2018

I have done the first coat on the porch though not as far as I had hoped. The edger I got, from Aldi of
all places, held up pretty well until I was almost done and then it came apart with two small sides left. It isn't an easy thing to fix with paint on it so I did the best I could but decided not to do the steps and just focus on the whatever the formal name of the porch platform is.

I didn't start as early as I could have for a couple of reasons. First, I went for a run before work because my kids miraculously woke up early and we were able to get them off to school. My New Normal is to log into the office around 7 am or earlier and just check emails though I officially start at 8 CST. I got back right at 8 and decided to cool off and then mow the postage stamp sized amount of grass in the backyard.

I didn't start on this yesterday because the humidity was right at 79-80 and I didn't want to take a chance, especially since I had just power-washed the porch on Tuesday. Today was much hotter but the humidity only about 40 right now.

I also couldn't start on the painting too early because part of the prep involves using a leaf blower to clear any dust and debris. While it only would have been for 5 minutes at the most, I don't want to be the neighbor that makes that kind of noise before 8 AM.

I need to do a second coat, which I should be able to do this evening before nightfall. When we get back from Michigan, I'll have all summer to finish though I do not plan to take that long. The weather looks decent next week so I should be able to get the spindles knocked out then. After that, it's the railings and risers.

Monday, May 21, 2018

The time has come to paint the front porch. This is actually a stop-gap solution because we
eventually will have to repair/replace the porch at some future date. I'm hoping that future date is sometime after we sell the house.

My neighbor used a product called Deckover and it looks pretty good on his old steps. I thought I'd give it a try. I wanted to change the color of our house and shift from Green to Blue or grey or something that isn't green because our house has an overabundance of green. However Nightingale pointed out that it would look too funny if we didn't paint all the trim around the house and it would be too much work to do so. Hence we are going with Mountain Spruce.

My plan is to do this in stages since I need to do it when the little DN are at school and the weather cooperates.

Stage 0: power wash and prep the area

Stage 1: paint steps green. Two coats.

Stage 2: spindles (another color)

Stage 3: green railing

Stage 4: risers

Stage 5: install quarter rounds on the six steps and paint those green as well.

Stage 6: Touch up and cleanup.

I bought everthing I need (except the quarter rounds) over the weekend so I should be able to start if the weather cooperates. The temp needs to be between 50-90, with less than 80% humidity and no rain expected for 24 hours.

It's raining today and it is also supposed to rain this weekend, starting Friday. This is what my phone app says right this minute, it's always subject to change. That gives me a slim Tues-Thursday window, depending on when the rain will come friday. We are also traveling to Michigan for Memorial Day weekend so I won't be able to finish (or start) until next Wednesday.

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

So I made it through year number two at Big Audit. It has been rough from almost day one. I realize belatedly that one of the reasons Headless Nick was so cold towards me was, from his perspective, I was replacing him.

So a week or so ago my PML forwarded me an email from the person who manages hoteling in the Chicago office. Note: they reach out to our PMLs instead of to us directly. This is one more sign of how dysfunctional things are at Big Audit.

I'll miss the white board and coat cubby

The issue was they wanted to move some tax group into my area, which would mean relocating me. At the same time, Hoteling Dude asked if I really needed a permanent seat since my utilization was under the threshold. I could come to the office and hunt for a desk, but that doesn't make sense. I do not work with anybody in the Chicago office and coming to the office is really just a thing I did to make Headless Nick happy and provide me some structure.

When I started in 2016, we could somehow get the kids to daycare and get to work between 8 and 8:20, especially with my mom helping out in nicer weather. However, as the kids have gotten older and are learning to test limits, getting them to daycare has become a longer battle ordeal in the mornings. I simply cannot get to work anywhere in the zip code of On Time.

Anywho, I'm giving up my desk at the office and WFH more. Until they officially take my desk away, my plan is to go into the office a couple times mid-week. Eventually I will switch to full time at home, unless and until the rumored restructure impacts me.